What is Saw Palmetto?
Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) is a small fan palm native to the southeastern US, and its berries are used in supplements. It is studied for its effect on 5-alpha reductase, the enzyme that converts testosterone into DHT, a hormone linked to hair thinning. In a two-year trial, 38% of men taking saw palmetto saw improved hair density. In Xtressé, it supports healthy hormonal balance at the follicle.
How it supports hair growth*
Helps lower DHT at the follicle.
Saw palmetto inhibits 5-alpha reductase, the enzyme that turns testosterone into DHT, the hormone that shrinks follicles over time.
Helps restore hair density.
In a two-year trial of 100 men, 38% taking saw palmetto saw improved hair density.
Targets thinning at the crown.
In that trial, saw palmetto's benefit showed mainly at the crown of the scalp.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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Where is Saw Palmetto found in nature?
Saw palmetto grows wild across the southeastern US, mostly in Florida's pinelands, coastal dunes and oak hammocks, and Indigenous peoples of Florida have long used it for food, shelter and medicine. Its small, dark berries ripen in late summer and fall, and that is the part used.
Did you know?
Saw palmetto is a slow-growing perennial that can live for hundreds of years.
Source: UF/IFAS (opens in a new tab)Its name comes from the fine, saw-like teeth along its leaf stems.
Source: JungleDragon (opens in a new tab)More than 21,000 tons of fresh berries were harvested in 2017.
Source: NutraIngredients, citing the American Botanical Council (opens in a new tab)Learn more about Saw Palmetto
Yes. In a two-year clinical trial, 38% of men taking 320 mg of saw palmetto daily saw improved hair density.
It inhibits 5-alpha reductase, reducing how much testosterone becomes DHT. Less DHT at the follicle helps protect hair from thinning over time.
Saw palmetto is well tolerated, with no significant side effects reported in a 2020 systematic review. If you're pregnant, breastfeeding or on hormonal medication, speak with your provider first.
- Evron et al., 2020Systematic review: saw palmetto improved hair across several studies and was well toleratedRead the study (opens in a new tab)
- Rossi et al., 2012Two-year trial in 100 men: 38% saw improved hair density on 320 mg dailyRead the summary (opens in a new tab)
- Xtressé Gummies clinical study (ongoing)4-month study of the full gummy formula in women with thinning hairClinicalTrials.gov NCT07224555 (opens in a new tab)
From Xtressé
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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